Roman Society and Culture Section 4

Roman Society and Culture     

Agenda Daily Life in the Roman Empire Roles of family members Religion Entertainment Arts, Sciences, Literature and Language

Roman Society and Culture  Rome

shared ideas between all cultures. Brought the ancient world together. (most important contribution)

A Strong Empire  To

stay together Rome needed to be organized. Allowed conquered people to keep their traditions (helped prevent rebellions) but insisted on order. Same laws for all parts of the empire. Taxes were high to provide security. Penalty for disobediencepainful death (crucifixion)

Trade and Transportation  Huge

empire meant that were many products available. Focus on trade inside the empire. Farming was done everywhere- but each province had special products  Transportation was criticalgovernment paid for and maintained ROADS that connected the empire. (built by the army)

The Roman Army Now that they are an empire- they need a permanent army. Many soldiers served a “career” of 20 years. Forts in most citiessoldiers were very well trained and disciplined.  Army’s duty was to defend the borders and keep the peacerespected and feared- their presence was enough to stop most problems 

Life in the Empire  Pyramid

society  Wealthy had spacious homes (villas) Poor lived in crowded wooden apartment buildings (fire a huge hazard)  Empire was too large to feel a “connection” like Polis. Patriotism for Rome was strong

Slavery Millions in Empire. Some conquered, others for breaking laws. Slavery was permanent and hereditary. Slaves could buy freedom, but had no rights in society.  Slavery was more common in the east (Greece, Egypt etc…) where it had a long history, than in the West and North (Spain, Britain) where it was new.  Slavery was not essential to the Roman economy and slave ownership was more a status symbol than a necessity. 

Family structure 

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Family run by the Paterfamilias (father) who controlled the family business and income. Wife had control over the home. Men were often gone with the army- women ran much of day to day life. Informal education came from parents. Fathers taught their sons how to be good citizens. Mothers taught their daughters how to manage a household. Formal education was done primarily at home with a private tutor (for the rich). Schools were for advanced learning, and focused on Greek literature, debate, and rhetoric.

Religion 

Roman Republic – Lares – ancestral spirits – Romans wanted harmony with their ancestors. – Vesta – god who guarded fire and the hearth.

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Roman Empire – Polytheistic religion based on the family traditions of the Republic. – Purpose was to advance loyalty to the republic. – Augustus became the chief priest. – Rituals, ceremonies and processions were a part of daily life.

Entertainment Government paid for public entertainment to keep population happy. Musician, jugglers, acrobats could be seen most days in the forum. (marketplace)  Two most famous sports 

– Chariot Races (held at Circus maximus in Rome) – Gladiators (held at Coliseum in Rome) trained fighters (slaves or criminals) fight to the death. Sometimes one on one, sometimes groups- even animals were popular.

Intellectual and cultural achievement  Discovery

was not important for Rome (unlike Greece)  Collected and used best of other people’s ideas- added on to what had been done (adaptors not innovators)  Preserved and cataloged knowledge  Learning focused on the practical and useful.

Building/Architecture  Loved

big public building projects.  Borrowed Greek style, more elaborate, less symmetrical  Loved Arches  Invented Concrete- buildings could be bigger, more open and stronger  Aqueducts and Sewers made people’s lives better

Pont du Gard

Literature  Again,

copied Greeks in format (Epic poems, history, philosophy)  Virgil: “The Aeneid” (Trojan prince founds Rome)  Plutarch: Historian “Parallel Lives” (Compare Rome to other Empires)  Cicero: Philosopher/politician “On the Republic” (speeches on how government should work)

Language Latin  Alphabet came from Etruscans (who had borrowed idea from Greeks)  23 letters (J, Y, W come later)  Latin was “universal” you could use it anywhere in the empire. Would remain language of “education” until modern age  Modern “Romance Languages” come from Latin- Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese & Romanian 